A gospel church was fined after neighbours complained about its noisy services, it was disclosed on Friday. Deacon Everton Lewis-Gordon and pastor Sean Samuel appeared before Nottingham magistrates charged with noise nuisance after residents complained to Nottingham city council about services at New Generation Church in Basford.

Charges against the deacon were withdrawn but Samuel was fined £360 and ordered to pay £300 costs to the council, which brought the action after complaints about the noise of amplified singing, music and preaching coming from the church over the past four years.

Noise pollution officers judged the volume of noise coming from the services to be a nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act after recording sound levels during services, some which could last up to three hours, Nottingham city council said.

The local authority tried to resolve the situation between the church and residents, and also gave advice to the church on ways of reducing the noise levels.

But after no sign of improvement was seen, nor heard, the matter was taken to the courts.